This invention relates to a games apparatus having a games module for supplying power to one or more playing pieces wherein data communication can occur between the games module and the playing piece(s).
WO97/23060 describes apparatus for bi-directional data and uni-directional power transmission between a games module and playing pieces. This apparatus uses RF inductive coupling to supply power from the games module to physically separate passive playing pieces. The same RF inductive coupling is used to download data from a playing piece to the games module.
RF inductive coupling between the games module and playing pieces is advantageous because such coupling is possible over a large distance range. However, this very advantage presents problems if it is desired to couple a number of playing pieces to respective different RF coils of the same games module. For example, in the case of a board game, even if each of the playing pieces is tuned to a different RF frequency, interference between the different playing pieces makes it very difficult to produce an apparatus which will operate satisfactorily in practice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,285 describes an electronic game wherein data regarding the characteristics of a player in a video game is downloaded to the video game from a game piece to which power is supplied via a game board. Data is downloaded from the game pieces to the video game via a serial capacitive connection. U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,285 still requires power to be transferred via RF inductive coupling requiring the manufacture of coils and related components which are relatively complex and difficult to manufacture.
In one aspect, the present invention provides games apparatus wherein a playing piece both derives power from and communicates data with a games module by capacitive rather than inductive coupling.
The use of capacitive coupling between the games module and playing piece to enable both power supply to the playing piece from the games module and data communication enables the games apparatus to be associated with a number of playing pieces coupled to the games module by means of different sensing areas of the games module without the risk of interference between the playing pieces even when they are placed close to one another. Such apparatus is also relatively low power and, because the coupling of the playing pieces to the games module does not require the use of tuned resonant circuits, the areas via which power is supplied to and data communicated with subsidiary playing pieces and conductive connections to these areas within the games module may be relatively high resistance enabling them to be formed by conductive inks and so to be printed onto insulative materials such as paper, card or plastics. This makes the games apparatus both cheap and simple to manufacture.
In one aspect, the present invention provides games apparatus wherein a playing piece derives power from a games module via an electrical circuit which is completed only when a person or other body is capacitively coupled with the playing piece generally being in physical contact with or in close proximity to the playing piece. The return path to the games module may be completed by the person or other body making physical contact with or touching an area of the games module. Desirably, however, the electrical path is completed via a high impedance weak coupling which is inherently present, for example a capacitive coupling between a person and the games module due to the proximity of the person to the games module, the inevitable coupling of the person and the games module to a local ground or earth, the coupling (possibly via interwinding capacitance of a transformer) through a power supply of the games module to a mains electrical supply earth, coupling through a ground plane provided in the games module or any combination thereof.
In one aspect, the present invention provides games apparatus which provides a single conductive lead or track between a games module and the playing piece with a return path enabling power to be supplied to the playing piece from the games module and data to be communicated between the two being provided by a person or other body in close proximity to or touching the playing piece. The use of a single lead or track per playing piece considerably reduces the complexity and amount of conductive track required in the games module, reducing costs and allowing the sensing areas of the games module via which the games module supplies power to and communicates data with playing pieces to be placed closer together so allowing a higher density of playing pieces per games module.
As discussed above, the present invention enables conductive tracks and sensing areas to be printed using, for example, conductive inks, which is a relatively cheap mass production process. Moreover such printing can be onto any suitable insulative material such as the card, paper or plastics materials commonly used to form playing surfaces for board games and children""s toys.
The playing piece may have memory means for storing game data and may be operable to communicate the game data to the games module in response to receipt of a data communication control signal from the games module. This data communication control signal may be the same signal as the signal supplied to the sensing surface to enable determination of the location of the playing piece on the sensing surface.
Data may be communicated by modulation by the playing piece of a carrier supplied by the games module from which the games module derives its power. The games module may contain a non-volatile memory which stores data that can be accessed by the games module only when power is derived by the playing piece. The non-volatile memory may be electrically reprogrammable so as to allow, for example, the gaming apparatus or other playing pieces to change the content of the playing piece""s memory. The data may simply identify the playing piece enabling the games module to respond in accordance with the determined identity. As another possibility the data may simply be audio data which may be downloaded from the playing piece.
Where data is stored by a playing piece it will generally be digital data for subsequent processing. However, especially where the stored data is audio data, the data may be downloaded as analogue data enabling driving, via an appropriate interface, of a loudspeaker, for example. Generally in such cases the data will be converted from digital to analogue by the playing piece. Alternatively, the data could be stored as analogue data in an analogue memory. Where the data stored by a playing piece identifies the playing piece then, for example, the games module may cause a sound, tune, message or instruction to be issued, or may adjust the rules of the game in accordance with the identity of the playing piece and/or its location. The data for controlling the action of the games module in response to the detection of a particular playing piece may be stored in a non-volatile memory in the playing piece, in the games module or in both the playing piece and the games module.
Where the power supply to a playing piece is sufficient, the playing piece itself may have a low power loudspeaker, for example a piezoelectric loudspeaker, and an audio interface enabling it to issue short sounds or beeps, a low power LCD display and driver for displaying short messages or a very low power slow flash rate LED. The playing piece may also incorporate an optical shutter, for example a low power LCD shutter, which obscures a picture or message until the playing piece and thus the optical shutter receives power. If power permits, the playing piece may have a motor and motor control interface controllable in response to the data stored in the playing piece. Such a motor would necessarily be very low power, typically about 250 xcexcW (micro-Watts) and may be capable of executing small movements such as the opening or closing of a toy""s eye.
Data contained in the memory of the playing piece may comprise data concerning features, strengths and information about the particular playing piece especially where, for example, the game is a role-playing or war game.
Where the games module of the gaming apparatus includes software for controlling the game, a playing piece may contain modifications or upgrades to that software so that, for example, the rules or structure of a game may be altered by the incorporation of a new playing piece into the game. This would allow, for example, additional playing pieces to be bought after the initial purchase of the game to enable the owner to upgrade the game or to add additional features to the game.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a playing piece for use in the above-described gaming apparatus wherein the playing piece has a memory for storing data and is arranged to derive power for enabling reading of data from the memory from a signal supplied by the gaming apparatus only when a player contacts the playing piece.
The present invention also provides a component for use in a game or a toy or toy component having a memory and means for deriving a power supply only when a person makes contact with the component.